If I never knew you
by titaniajuarez
Summary: Pocahontas retelling with the nostalgia couple. Ritsu is learning how to become chief and to care for his people, but what will happen when the infamous Takano Masamune leads his crew off to the new world? How will they meet? what's gonna happen? Stay tuned to find out.
1. Chapter 1

Ritsu was sitting on the top of the cliff and looked out at the water and into the land and forest that laid in front of him. The wind blew through his hair and he closed his eyes to bask in the wind and last rays of sunlight. It was starting to get colder and soon they would have to start preparing for the winter, but right now he allowed himself a moment of silence.

Because he was going to be the upcoming chief, it was starting to get harder and harder to have alone time and to do what he wanted. It seemed like someone somewhere always needed his presence. Ritsu sighed as he could feel his youth ending right in front of him. He reached out to the stone around his neck, symbolizing his betrothal. It weighed heavy on his conscious and he wanted nothing more than to take it off and give it back. But it had belonged to his late mother and it was all he had left of her. He was glad that his betrothal had brought some good.

It wasn't that he hated his fiancee, in fact he cared for her deeply and adored her. It's just… he cared for his freedom and independence a little bit more. An was safe, predictable, dependable, but Ritsu couldn't help but think all his dreaming would come to an end if he were to tie the knot.

He knew that she was completely and utterly in love and devoted to him. Ritsu couldn't help but feel he was cheating her out of something more meaningful and special. He knew deep in his heart that he would never be able to love her with the same fierceness and devotion… which is why he needed to marry her that much more. It was his mother's dying wish for him to marry An-chan, and she was so ready to give up her life for him, so ready to devote her entire being to him and not demanding any love back in return. Ritsu knew he didn't deserve her, but the least he could do was honor and protect her for the rest of his life as his wife. It was just part of his duty, and he needed to be able to be able to reciprocate it. If he couldn't even do that what type of man was he?

When couples talked about getting married, they always seemed to have the same twinkle in their eyes and they smiled so big it almost looked like it hurt. What were they so happy about? He would never admit it aloud but marriage seemed like a lot of work, and more of a chore than something people would actually be willing to go through.

Ritsu mentally scolded himself for even thinking such disrespectful thoughts of his fiancee, but the cruel realization came to his mind when he realized he would probably never experience falling in love. He was fine with this of course. He had a beautiful, caring, amazing fiance, a future tribe to rule over and protect one day, and a group of people that loved him and who he would do anything for.

Strangely he knew An-chan was exceptionally gorgeous and extremely kind and any guy in the tribe would have gone crazy to have her hand in marriage. But she chose him. Ritsu knew how much of a catch she was, so why didn't he feel anything? It left him perplexed and confused. He knew how he should feel, and yet it still wasn't there.

Maybe something was fundamentally wrong with him. He worried that maybe he was incapable of loving another, and maybe if he didn't love someone as perfect as An-chan, then maybe there was something wrong with him. The way his friends had described it growing up was their heartbeat raced, their hands got sweaty, they felt hot in the face, and they wanted nothing more than to draw closer to their lover's face but at the same time pull away. He had never felt anything like that in his life and it all sounded like plain fantasy.

Ritsu ran his hand through his hair and let out a stressed sigh. He knew he needed to sort through his feelings before he went through anything, but he wasn't sure if he could really go through the whole engagement. No matter how much he knew it was his duty, no matter how convinced his head was, his heart stayed put and refused to be swayed. He stood up and went to walk down the trail to his canoe at the bottom of the hill… but something in him directly him towards the very tip of the cliff. He looked at the water below him and smiled. He jogged back and broke into a full sprint before jumping off the cliff into the water below him.


	2. Chapter 2

Ritsu pushed his wet hair back and swam toward his canoe. He hoisted himself onto the boat and rowed back to his tribe.

Once he reached his tribe, he tied his canoe to a nearby tree. In the center there was the main hut, where his father conducted meetings and business was discussed. It was also the place where the medicine man held his spiritual rituals and practices. Fields of corn were to the west side of the tribe, and the people's tents surrounded the main hut.

"Wingapo, father" Ritsu ran up to his father, and pulled him in for a warm embrace.

"Hello, my son," he said, wrapping his arms around him.

Ritsu always admired the man that his father was, and he hoped to be half as good of a chief as him when the time came. He seemed to always know what to do in times of crisis, and he had a calm and protective atmosphere surrounding him. He held himself like a young man, and would never back down from a fight, but the stiffness in his pace and the wrinkles around his eyes gave clues to his true age. Ritsu's time was running out, but he knew he had a little more to go before he would become chief.

Reo pulled away from the embrace and held his son by the shoulders. He looked at his neck and smiled to see the white puka shell necklace his wife used to wear when she was still alive.

"I see you're wearing the necklace. Your mother would have been so pleased to see you in it. I remember she would wear that thing every day. She was so devoted, and really, my best friend in this lifetime. Just seeing you wear it brings tears to my eyes. You look so similar to her," Reo's eyes started to well up, and then a single tear fell from his eyes. He grabbed Ritsu's face, and Ritsu looked down and touched the necklace. It was cold and heavy, and he couldn't bring himself to tell his father that he didn't want it anymore. He knew the heartbreak that would ensue his father, not to mention it being one of the last relics his mother left behind for him. He knew he had to do this for his mother.

"I miss her, Dad." Ritsu said quietly.

"Now, see here my child, that is where you are wrong," Reo walked to the river and Ritsu quickly followed, "She lives among us. Not physically, but her spirit surrounds us, and I can feel it. She has never left our side, and she waits for us on the other side to rejoin her one day. I feel her in the wind that washes over us in the summer. I can sense her in the flowers, and in the animals that roam our tribal grounds, and I am at peace." Reo inhaled and took in the crisp air.

"How can you be so sure that Mama is still around?" Ritsu asked tentatively.

"Because I know I wouldn't be at peace with the world If I knew something bad had happened to her. She's given me signs all the time that she's still with us, and she frequently appears in my dreams. Sometimes we have conversations and she often asks me how you are doing. I tell her your growing up to be the finest man that we could have hoped to raise, and she is pleased with that." Reo smiled with his eyes closed and truly looked like he was at peace with the world. Seeing his father talk so loving about his mother with complete adoration left Ritsu in complete satisfaction. The love his parents shared was really an inspiration to him. But it only highlighted the flaws in his engagement even more.

"She also warns me that I must put my absolute faith in you, and that someday you will be an even greater chief than I am. She says even if I don't understand it at first, that you are able to see and create paths that no other can even fathom. I can't wait for the days where I get to see you become chief."

"Father! That isn't possible, no one can top you when it comes to the most successful chief. I'll be lucky to be half as great as you…" Ritsu mumbled.

"_Onodera_, It is your duty for the future of our tribe for you to be the best leader you can be. A tribe is a reflection of the leader, and if you don't measure up to me then you move the tribe backwards. A good leader is not about being the strongest or most powerful person, but the most sacrificial. Nothing comes before his people, and if he still has energy to worry about himself after his people have been served, then that is when he can worry about himself. A chief is the greatest slave, but to his people." Reo turned to his son, "And I have zero doubt that you will accomplish so much in your lifespan."

"Thank you, Father, I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, Ritsu. You're my son, after all" Reo winked.

Ritsu knew he had a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but he also knew he wouldn't stop until he had accomplished all that his father told him he could. He would make sure each tribe member was fed before he got a chance to take a bite. He vowed this to himself.

Reo went back to staring at the necklace and breathed a sigh of relief.

"An is a wonderful girl, isn't she?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, she's incredible" Ristu replied dully.

Reo wasn't buying his son's response.

"An is the best choice. You too have known each other since you were children right? Sort of takes the passion out of interactions, huh?" Reo chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"Ritsu, I know you're not in love with her, certainly not as much as she cares about you. But it's still something you need to do. I can see how happy she can make you in the future and if you give her a chance, you might even surprise yourself." Reo raised his eyebrow

Ritsu looked out, and nodded silently.


End file.
